Some 490 foreigners registered for e-visas from Vietnam, with 210 approved by the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Immigration, according to the department.

Major General Le Xuan Vien, Head of the department, announced the figures after the first week of an e-visa pilot scheme conducted under Decree No. 07, which took effect on February 1 and permits tourists from 40 countries to apply and receive Vietnamese visas online.

The first foreigner to receive an e-visa was Mr. Richard Wilson, a British national. The UK is also subject to visa exemptions for stays of less than 15 days.

Foreigners can apply for visas and pay fees at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn . Applications are processed within three working days. Each applicant is provided with a digital code, with which they can check the application’s progress and print their e-visas once they have been issued. They can also present the codes at border gates and airports for scanning.

The e-visas are valid for 30 days. Each applicant must pay a non-refundable application fee of $25 visa bank transfer.

The e-visas are accepted at most international airports and the 28 border gates in Vietnam, according to Major General Vien. Tourists can also conduct temporary residence declarations online when travelling with e-visas. The pilot scheme will be evaluated by the government and results reported to the National Assembly once completed in 2019.